Public high school admissions in Vietnam’s two largest cities are expected to face intense competition in the 2026–2027 academic year, with tens of thousands of ninth-grade graduates unable to secure places in public schools.

Education authorities in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi say growing numbers of students completing lower secondary education are putting increasing pressure on the public high school system.

Around 51,000 students in HCMC may miss public school places

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, nearly 170 public high schools have registered Grade 10 enrollment quotas for the 2026–2027 academic year, with a projected capacity of about 103,739 students.

However, the number of ninth-grade graduates has surged following the expansion of the city’s administrative boundaries. If all students choose to take the entrance exam for public high schools, the admission rate would be only around 61 percent.

This means approximately 65,000 students would have to pursue other education pathways, including private high schools, vocational training institutions or continuing education programs.

Among the city’s regions, the former Ho Chi Minh City area and the former Ba Ria - Vung Tau area could admit about 66 percent of ninth-grade graduates, while the former Binh Duong area would admit only around 44 percent.

Education officials aim to increase the public high school admission rate to at least 70 percent of middle school graduates. If that target is achieved, the number of students unable to enter public schools would decrease from around 65,000 to about 51,000.

To expand enrollment capacity, the department has instructed schools to urgently review facilities, assess their ability to receive additional students and propose repairs, upgrades or equipment purchases where necessary.

Enrollment quotas for each school will be determined based on the number of ninth-grade students in each area, the conditions of school facilities and the ability to organize teaching.

Ho Chi Minh City’s Grade 10 admissions process will include two methods: direct admission and entrance examinations.

Direct admission applies to certain specialized cases, such as students who complete lower secondary education at Thạnh An Secondary and High School in Thạnh An commune, or students graduating from Le Hong Phong Secondary School in Con Dao who apply to Vo Thi Sau High School.

Ethnic minority boarding schools will also admit students according to specific regulations set by the Ministry of Education and Training.

Most students will enter through the entrance examination, which is expected to take place on June 1 and 2.

Candidates will sit three written exams - literature and mathematics (120 minutes each) and a foreign language (90 minutes). Each subject is graded on a 10-point scale without weighting.

Students must take all three tests and score above zero in each subject to qualify for admission consideration.

For specialized high schools, Ho Chi Minh City currently has four institutions: Le Hong Phong, Tran Dai Nghia, Hung Vuong and Le Quy Don.

Applicants must take four exams, including the three general subjects and an additional specialized subject. The specialized subject is counted with double weight when calculating admission scores.

Students in the city may also apply to the High School for the Gifted under Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City. If they are not admitted or choose not to enroll there, they can still be considered for admission through their previously registered regular preferences.

About 59,000 students in Hanoi expected to enter private education

In Hanoi, education authorities estimate that about 147,000 students will complete lower secondary education in the 2025–2026 academic year.

Under the city’s post-secondary education orientation plan, about 88,000 students will be admitted to public education institutions, including public high schools, continuing education centers and vocational education institutions.

This means roughly 59,000 students will attend private high schools or private vocational education institutions.

Hanoi currently has 124 public high schools, including four specialized schools, 117 regular public schools and three schools operating under financial autonomy.

The city plans to establish three new high schools for the 2026–2027 school year, including two public institutions - Viet Hung High School in Dong Anh commune and another school in the A11 area of the Cau Giay new urban zone - along with a private high school on Minh Khai Street.

However, the Department of Education and Training has not yet announced the enrollment quotas for the two new public schools.

According to the draft master plan for Hanoi with a 100-year vision, the city will need an additional 91 high schools between 2031 and 2045 to ensure sufficient classroom capacity.

Currently, 33 wards and communes across the capital still face shortages of schools and are expected to receive priority for new education infrastructure in the coming years.

Hanoi will hold its Grade 10 entrance examination from May 30 to June 1.

Students will take three independent tests: mathematics, literature and a foreign language. Candidates may choose from English, French, German, Japanese or Korean for the language exam.

The mathematics and literature exams will be written tests lasting 120 minutes each, while the foreign language exam will be a 60-minute multiple-choice test graded by computer software.

The exam questions will follow the requirements of the 2018 general education curriculum and focus mainly on Grade 9 content.

Authorities also noted that students applying for Grade 10 must have residence in Hanoi, rather than permanent household registration as required previously.

The city has removed its former enrollment zoning system. Each student may now register up to three preferences for non-specialized public high schools anywhere in Hanoi.

In addition, the education department has reduced the score difference between admission preferences by 0.5 to 1 point in order to increase students’ chances of being admitted.

Thanh Hung - Le Huyen